Conforming Rigid Cast, Brace and Splint Comprising a Curable Polymeric Material

ABSTRACT

A formable cast ( 100 ), brace ( 180 ) or splint is provided herein which comprises a padding ( 101 ), an outer shell ( 103 ) spaced apart from the padding, and a ridge ( 109 ) disposed along the perimeter of the shell. The ridge, shell and padding define an interior space ( 115 ), with a curable polymeric material disposed in the interior space. The curable polymeric material undergoes a phase transition, upon curing, from a liquid or gel phase to a substantially rigid solid phase. The cast ( 100 ), brace ( 180 ) or splint may be readily customized to the patient by fitting the cast to the patient&#39;s body, positioning the cast in the desired orientation, and curing the curable polymeric material through exposure to actinic radiation or by other suitable means.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part and claims the benefitof the filing date of an application entitled, “Conforming Rigid Castand Brace Comprising a Curable Polymeric Material” Ser. No. 15/195,917filed Jun. 28, 2016, assigned to the assignee of the presentapplication, and herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates generally to medical casts, braces andsplints, and more specifically, to methods of creating and affixing aprotective medical cast or brace that comprises a curable polymericmaterial.

BACKGROUND

Bone fractures are a common result of blunt trauma and other types ofaccidents. A fracture occurs when sufficient force is applied to a bonesuch that the bone chips, cracks, or breaks. Once a fracture isdiagnosed, the pieces or fragments of the broken bone are properlyrealigned by medical personnel through a process called reduction. Thepieces are then held in position by means of a splint, cast, brace, ortraction to allow them to properly fuse together during the healingprocess. In addition to maintaining the bone fragments in properalignment, a cast, splint or brace may serve to decrease pain, keepsurrounding tissue from becoming damaged, reduce the chance of seriousbleeding and lost circulation to the injured part, and prevent movement,and perhaps re-injury, of the fractured bone during the healing process.

For many years, casts were made of plaster and cloth, or “padding.”Typically, the plaster for such casts comes in strips or rolls which aredipped in water and applied over the padding. The padding itself isusually a layer of cotton or synthetic fiber that covers the injuredarea. Once watered and positioned, the plaster is allowed to harden orcure. While the plaster cures, the patient must remain still so that theresultant cast can set into its proper shape. This method of treating abroken bone in this manner is both messy for the health care providerand inconvenient for the patient. In addition, a plaster cast is heavyand, as a result, unwieldy through out the healing process, whichtypically last eight through ten weeks.

In some casts, the plaster may be replaced with fiberglass. Fiberglassis lighter, longer wearing, and provides better ventilation thanplaster. It is also more transparent to x-rays, thus allowing themedical personnel to easily monitor the healing process. However,fiberglass casts are generally more expensive than plaster casts, areoften equally difficult and messy to work with, and still require theuse of padding material. As with plaster, fiberglass comes in strips orrolls which are dipped in hot water and applied over the padding thatcovers the injured area.

In addition to casts, other types of protective shells and braces havefound use in medical applications. Examples include braces of the typethat are commonly used to treat back and knee injuries or conditions andsplints used to treat broken bones. For example, back braces have beendeveloped that are designed to compress and unload weight from thelumbar region of a patient's back. These braces fall into two generalcategories, Lumbosacral Orthosis (LSO) braces and Thoracic LumbosacralOrthosis (TLSO) braces. These braces may include posterior and/oranterior protective shells. Both the anterior and posterior shells aretypically constructed of light-weight, inexpensive thermoplastics.

Currently, braces and splints are either dispensed in a limited numberof sizes and shapes, or are custom manufactured using expensive andtime-consuming procedures. Braces that are sold in a limited number ofsizes (so called “off-the-shelf” braces) suffer from the infirmity thatthey can not be fitted as precisely as a custom brace, and are thus lesscomfortable and effective in use. Custom braces and splints overcomethis infirmity, but are typically much more expensive and time consumingto fabricate than off-the-shelf braces and splints of the type that canbe made using economies of scale. In particular, custom braces andsplints may cost thousands of dollars to produce, and may take weeks tofabricate.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the teachings herein, casts, braces splints, andrelated medical devices are provided that can be conveniently andinexpensively customized to the patient, that are not messy to apply,that are light-weight and wear-resistant, and that have goodbreathability. These devices are suitable for treating bone fractures,for providing support, and for other medical applications. Systems andmethods for fabricating these devices are also provided.

As the Inventors herein have realized, there is thus a need in the artfor casts and braces that can be conveniently and inexpensivelycustomized to the patient, that are not messy to apply, that arelight-weight and wear-resistant, and that have good breathability. Theseand other needs are met by the systems, devices and methodologiesdisclosed herein.

Although the devices, systems and methodologies disclosed herein willfrequently be described in the context of treating bone fractures, andin particular, broken arms, these devices and methodologies are equallyapplicable to any type of situation in which a cast is required. Inaddition, the methods and devices described herein are not restricted tohuman applications, but may also be applied in the veterinary arts.

Briefly, a method is provided herein in which an encased, curable(preferably photocurable) cast, brace or splint material is wrappedaround a body part such as, but not limited to, a broken arm. Once thecurable cast, brace or splint material is positioned and shaped, anactinic radiation source, such as, but not limited to, an ultraviolet(UV) light source, is applied to the cast, brace or splint material. Theradiation emitted by the actinic radiation source reacts with the cast,brace or splint material, causing it to cure or harden. Unlike plasteror fiberglass cast, brace and splint materials, the radiation curablecast, brace and splint materials described herein can be positioned andshaped for an indefinite period of time because the material does notbegin to harden until exposed to the actinic radiation source. Inaddition, the rate at which the cast, brace and splint material hardenscan be controlled by varying the conditions of exposure, including, butnot limited to, the intensity and wavelengths of the actinic radiationsource. Using a typical UV light source, a cast, brace or splint can bemade in accordance with the teachings herein that may cure in as littleas five seconds or less.

In addition, the systems and methods disclosed herein may be employed toproduce custom-fitted medical braces, such as back and knee braces, andsplints. In contrast to conventional braces, which are very expensiveand typically take several weeks to fit and fabricate, customized bracesmay be made in accordance with the methodologies disclosed herein thatare ready for use concurrently with the fitting procedure. This greatlyreduces the inconvenience to the patient, and avoids further injury thatmight otherwise occur while the patient is waiting for the brace orsplint to be prepared.

This summary is not intended as a comprehensive description of theclaimed subject matter but, rather, is intended to provide a briefoverview of some of the functionality associated therewith. Othersystems, methods, functionality, features and advantages of theinvention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the artupon examination of the following figures and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be better understood with reference to the followingfigures. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale,emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of theinvention. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the different views.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an exemplary arm cast system constructed inaccordance with the claimed subject matter.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the arm cast system of FIG. 1 takenalong a LINE 1A-1A.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the arm cast system of FIG. 1 takenalong a LINE 1B-1B.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the arm cast system of FIG. 1 as applied to apatient's arm.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the arm cast system of FIGS. 1-4 as appliedto the patient's arm.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of an embodiment of a back brace made inaccordance with the claimed subject matter.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the back brace of FIG. 6 taken alonga LINE 6A-6A.

FIG. 8 is an alternative embodiment of a back brace made in accordancewith the claimed subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the ensuing detailed description, the systems, methodologies anddevices disclosed herein will frequently be described with reference toparticular embodiments, such as back braces, knee braces and casts, andwith respect to particular applications, such as the treatment of brokenbones in the arms or legs. However, it will be appreciated that thesystems, methodologies and devices disclosed herein may be implementedin a variety of embodiments and applications. Moreover, while thesystems, methodologies and devices disclosed herein will be describedprimarily with reference to their use in human medical applications, itwill be appreciated that these systems, methodologies and devices willalso find use in various other fields, such as the veterinary arts.

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of an arm cast system 100 which may beconstructed in accordance with the claimed subject matter. A bottomportion or pad 101 is provided which is preferably constructed of abreathable, resilient material, such as GORETEX® neoprene, and whichallows air to permeate to the injured area while also protecting thearea from other, perhaps harder portions of cast system 100. Pad 101also serves, if necessary, to insulate a patient from heat produced bythe curing of cast system 100. A top portion 103 is provided which isconstructed of a flexible material such as standard, medical gradesilicon. In an alternative embodiment, pad 101 is made of the samematerial as top portion 103, and a separate padding material is usedbeneath cast system 100. It should be noted that pad 101 may extend fromone side of top portion 103 to the other side, i.e., pad 101 includesmaterial beneath top portion 103. In this view, pad 101 extends out fromthe edges of top portion 103. In an alternative embodiment, pad 101 mayhave the same approximate size and shape as top portion 103 so that pad101 does not extend past the edge of top portion 103.

The perimeter of top portion 103 of the cast system 100 is equipped witha ridge 105. The top portion 103 and ridge 105 are preferably fabricatedas a single piece of flexible material, though in some embodiments topportion 103 and ridge 105 may be fabricated separately or as distinctcomponents. Thus, for example, ridge 105 may be fabricated as a distinctcomponent similar to a gasket. Top portion 103 and pad 101 are affixedto each other along the length of ridge 105. This may be accomplished bymeans of a suitable adhesive, by thermally bonding the materialstogether, or through other suitable means as are known to the art. Oneskilled in the art will appreciate that the choice of a suitableadhesive for attaching pad 101, top portion 103 and ridge 105 may vary,and may depend on such factors as the specific materials employed in themanufacture of pad 101, top portion 103 and ridge 105. Ridge 105 issufficiently raised from top portion 103 such that there is a gap 131(see FIGS. 2 and 3) between top portion 103 and pad 101. As explained ingreater detail below in conjunction with FIGS. 2 and 3, gap 131 ispreferably filled with a radiation curable or energy-sensitive material,such as a polyurethane- or polyacrylate-based resin.

In this embodiment, top portion 103 has ten (10) holes 107, each ofwhich is surrounded by a corresponding ridge 109. Ridges 109 areapproximately the same height as a ridge 105 and also are affixed to pad101. In this manner, the radiation curable or energy curable resin thatfills gap 131 does not leak out through holes 107. Holes 107 aredesigned to enable cast system 100 to breath, and thus increase thecomfort to a patient employing cast system 100. The precise arrangement,size and number of holes 107 may vary. In an alternative embodiment, pad101 is also cut out in areas corresponding to holes 107 such that holes107 extend through both pad 101 and top portion 103.

Pad 101 and top portion 103 are contoured such that portions are convexand concave in corresponding portions of opposing sides of pad 101 andtop portion 103, e.g. e.g. a convex portion 111 and a concave portion113. When cast system 100 is wrapped around a patient's limb, convexportion 111 fits into concave portion 113. This positioning is shown inmore detail below in conjunction with FIG. 5. In alternativeembodiments, cast system 100 may have multiple convex and correspondingconcave portions, or simply have a straight edge.

A portion of pad 101 and top portion 103 also extend outward in afinger-like extension 115. Extension 115 is configured, in the contextof an arm cast such as cast system 100, to extend between the patient'sthumb and first finger when cast system 100 is positioned on thepatient's arm. Extension 115 helps cast system 100 from moving relativeto the patient's arm once cast system 100 has been positioned on thepatient's arm and hardened. The relative position of extension 115 withrespect to cast system 100 and an exemplary patient's arm are shown inmore detail below in conjunction with FIG. 5.

Cast system 100 also includes one or more radiation access channels 117and 119, each of which is constructed of a transparent material throughwhich radiation for curing the energy sensitive material that fills gap131 can pass. Radiation access channels 117 and 119 are positioned ontop of pad 101 and extend through ridge 105.

Also shown in FIG. 1 are dotted lines 1A-1A and 1B-1B. Lines 1A-1A and1B-1B are not actually part of cast system 100, but rather are used toprovide points of reference in cast system 100 corresponding to thecross-sectional views illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view 130 of arm cast system 100 (FIG. 1)taken along LINE 1A-1A (FIG. 1). The relationship of pad 101, topportion 103 and ridge 105 is clearly illustrated. Ridge 105 is raisedfrom pad and attached to 101 top portion 103 such that gap 131 iscreated in between pad 101 and top portion 103. As alluded to above inconjunction with FIG. 1, gap 131 is filled with a curable polymericmaterial, such as a radiation curable or energy-sensitive polymericmaterial or resin. The curable polymeric material or resin is preferablycurable through exposure to a source of actinic radiation such as, butnot limited to, ultraviolet (UV) light, or through exposure to anelectrical current or voltage. The curable polymeric material that fillsgap 131 is typically a liquid or gel that solidifies upon curing into asubstantially rigid mass. The curable polymeric material may solidify asa result of various chemical reactions, including crosslinking andaddition reactions. Within gap 131 is a mesh 137 that serves preventcast 100 from stretching and thus strengthening cast 100 in much thesame way that iron rebar placed within concrete strengths, orreinforces, the concrete.

A layer 133 positioned on gap 131 side of top portion 103 is reflectiveto the radiation that cures the energy-activated polymeric material thatfills gap 131. Layer 133 serves to enable radiation passing throughradiation access channels 117 and 119 to be distributed throughout gap131, thus enabling all the curable polymeric material to be exposed tothe radiation and thereby cured or hardened. A layer 135 on the gap 131side of pad 101, like layer 133, also enables radiation transmittedthrough radiation access channels 117 and 119 to expose and thereby curethe curable polymeric material that fills gap 131.

In an alternative embodiment, cast system 100 does not include radiationaccess channels 117 or 119, or layers 133 or 135 but, rather, topportion 103 allows enough curing radiation from an external exposureunit to pass through the material of which it is constructed to quicklycure the energy-activated polymeric material.

In another embodiment, an electric current is introduced to thepolymeric material by means of electrodes (not shown) implanted into gap131 through either top portion 103 or ridge 105. This electric currentcauses the polymeric material to undergo a reaction by which it changesfrom a liquid or gel to a substantially rigid mass. In this manner, castsystem 100 may be configured into a desired shape (see FIGS. 4 and 5)and subsequently (as through exposure to a suitable activation energysource to which the polymeric material is sensitive) turned into ahardened shell that functions as a medical cast.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view 140 of arm cast system 100 taken alongLINE 1B-1B of FIG. 1. In view 140, pad 101, top portion 103, holes 107and their respective ridges 109, ridge 105, layers 133 and 135 andradiation access channels are the same as described above in conjunctionwith FIG. 2. As explained above in conjunction with FIG. 1, holes 107may extend through pad 101 rather than only through top portion 103. Asexplained above in conjunction with FIG. 2, gap 131 is filled with anenergy-activated polymeric material so that, when cast system 100 isexposed to the particular UV or electrical energy to which the polymericmaterial is sensitive, system 100 turns into a hard shell that functionsas a medical cast. Mesh 137 positioned within gap 131 provides extrastrength to cast 100 once energy-activated polymeric material ishardened.

FIG. 4 is a top view illustrating the application of the arm cast system100 of FIG. 1 to a patient's lower arm 151. FIG. 4 shows pad 101, topportion 103, holes 107 and radiation access channels 117 and 119, all ofwhich are introduced above in conjunction with FIG. 1. Arm 151 includesa first metacarpal, or “thumb,” 153 and a second metacarpal, or “indexfinger,” 155. Cast system 100 is placed against arm 151 such that pad101 is in contact with the skin of arm 151 and functions both to bothcushion arm 151 from the rest of cast 100 and to insulate arm 100 formany heat that may be generated during the curing of the polymericmaterial encased in gap 131 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Cast system 100 ispositioned upon arm 151 such that finger-like extension 115 (FIG. 1)wraps around arm 151 in between thumb 153 and index finger 155. Thepositioning of extension 115 between thumb 153 and index finger 155 mayalso be seen below in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view illustrating the application of arm cast system100 of FIGS. 1-4 to a patient's lower arm 151 (FIG. 4). In thisperspective, arm 151 is turned over so that the bottom side is up. Pad101 (FIGS. 1-4) and top portion 103 (FIGS. 1-4) are wrapped around arm151 such that convex portion 111 (FIG. 1) fits adjacent to correspondingconvex portion 113 (FIG. 1). Extension 115 (FIG. 1) is positionedbetween thumb 153 (FIG. 4) and index finger 155 (FIG. 4).

In this embodiment, cast system 100 is positioned against arm 151 asshown in FIGS. 3 and 4 while the polymeric material that fills gap 131(FIGS. 2 and 3) is still of a liquid or gel-like consistency. Oncepositioned against arm 151, cast system 100 is then exposed to theactivating energy source to which it is sensitive, thus causing thepolymeric material to harden. Thus, cast system 100 becomes a hard castwith padding material provided by pad 101, a protective shell providedby the hardened polymeric material that fills gap 131, and a cushion forthe protective shell provided by top portion 103.

In an alternative embodiment, pad 101 is made of the same material astop portion 103 and a separate, more traditional padding is employedbetween cast system 100 and arm 151. In this embodiment, the polymericmaterial is simply encased in a single piece of material of the typeused to construct top portion 103 above. The corresponding pad may beattached to the encasing material or applied separately as the cast ispositions on the patient's arm.

FIG. 6 illustrates a portion of an exemplary back brace 180 thatincorporates the claimed subject matter. In this example, brace 180 isshown installed on the posterior side of a human torso 181. Typically, aposterior back brace such as brace 180 is employed for either correctiveor immobilizing purposes, and may have either a “short” or “long”configuration. Of course, it will be appreciated that the teachingsherein may be applied to the construction of a brace having almost anypurpose or configuration.

Brace 180 includes a posterior shell 183, adjustable straps 185 andelastic webbing 189. Adjustable straps 185 and elastic webbings 189 holdshell 183 in place against torso 181. Both straps 185 and webbings 189fasten in the anterior, or front, (not shown) of torso 181. Dotted linesshown in the outline of straps 185 and webbing 189 indicate that thoseparticular portions of straps 185 and webbing 189 are obscured from viewby shell 183.

The teachings herein are equally applicable to an anterior shell brace(not shown), whether used on its own or in conjunction with a posteriorbrace such as brace 180. One with skill in the medical arts shouldrecognize that there are many configurations suitable for securing abrace such as brace 180 to a torso or other body part. The particularbrace configuration or body part application may vary from oneimplementation to the next.

Webbings 189 are attached to shell 183 at attachment points 191 bysuitable fasteners, including, but not limited to, hook-and-loop typefasteners and repositionable adhesives. Straps 185 are likewise attachedat attachment points 187 by suitable fasteners, which may be of the sameor different type as the fasteners used to attach webbings 189 to shell183. In one particular embodiment, an actinic radiation source is usedto cure the polymeric material, and the fasteners that attach straps 185and webbings 189 to shell 183 comprise a material that is transparent tothe actinic radiation source. One skilled in the art will appreciatethat a variety of plastics may be used for this purpose, and that theparticular choice of plastic may depend on the actinic radiation sourcethat is to be used to cure the polymeric material.

Brace 180 also includes one or more radiation access channels, in thisexample, radiation access channels 193 and 195. Radiation accesschannels 193 and 195 serve the same function with respect to brace 180as radiation access channels 117 and 119 (FIGS. 1 and 4) serve withrespect to cast 100 of FIGS. 1-5. Of course, as with cast system 100,there are alternative methods to ensure that shell 183 is properlycured.

In an alternative embodiment, shell 183 is cured without the fasteners,straps 185 and/or webbing 189 attached, and these items are addedsubsequent to curing. A dashed LINE 6A-6A is not part of brace 180 butrather indicates the position of a cut-away view 200 along a LINE 6A-6Awith respect to brace 180. View 200 is illustrated below in conjunctionwith FIG. 7.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of brace 180 taken along LINE 6A-6A ofFIG. 6 and depicting brace 180 positioned against a surface 203 of torso181. The curvature of surface 203 may be equal, greater or less than theactual curvature of a human torso. Surface 203 is used only as anexample of part of a human torso's topology, which may in fact be quiteirregular. However, the teachings herein may be used to construct abrace having a shell (FIG. 7) that conforms to whatever shape torso 181assumes, however irregular.

Like cast system 100 (FIGS. 1-5), brace 180 includes a pad 183 and anupper portion 203. Although view 200 appears to show several pieces topad 201 and upper portion 203, preferably, pad 201 and top portion 203are each of a singular construction and spaces 207 represent fasteningpoints 187 (FIG. 5) through which fasteners (not shown) extend to attachstraps 185 (FIG. 5) to shell 183 (FIG. 5), which in this illustration isrepresented by pad 201, top portion 203, holes 207 and so on. At thebottom of holes 207 are notches or recessions 209 that serve as spacefor heads (not shown) on fasteners 187 (FIG. 7) to fit so that fasteners187 do not pull out of holes 207. Each notch 213 may extend entirelyaround the circumference of corresponding hole 207, or, in thealternative, may only be partially around hole 207 such that a fastener187 with a matching head is prevented from rotating.

Pad 201 and top portion 203 are attached to each other at ridges 205formed at the edges of top portion 203 and at ridges 209 formed on topportion 203 around holes 207. Similar ridges are formed in upper portion203 around holes (not shown) at attachment points 191 (FIG. 7). Ridges205 and 209 enable pad 201 and upper portion 203 to be attached to eachother while leaving a gap 211 in between the portions of pad 201 andupper portion 203 that are not attached.

In an alternative embodiment, either or both ridges 205 and 209 areformed on pad 201 rather than upper portion 203. Further, pad 201 andupper portion 203 may not include ridges 205 and 209 but rather theirfunction, i.e., attaching and creating gap 211 between pad 201 and upperportion 203, may be performed by a separate piece of suitable materialin the form of one or more gaskets. In another embodiment, pad 201 isconstructed of the same material as top portion 101, both of which are asingle piece of material molded to create a gap such as gap 211. In thisembodiment, a separate piece of material, either attached or unattached,is employed as padding.

Like gap 131 of cast system 100, gap 211 is filled with anenergy-activated polymeric material. Thus, for example, the polymericmaterial may be curable through exposure to a particular type of energysuch as, but not limited to, UV light or an electrical current. In theexample of UV light, the energy-activated polymeric material that fillsgap 211 has a liquid or gel-like consistency when placed into gap 211.When brace shell 180 is exposed to a UV light source, the polymericmaterial in gap 211 hardens or cures, forming a permanent, custom-fittedshell. Both UV curable and electrically curable polymeric materials canbe employed in gap 211 that are curable relatively quickly.

FIG. 8 is an alternative embodiment of a back brace 220 made inaccordance positioned against a surface 223 of torso 221. The curvatureof surface 223 may be equal, greater or less than the actual curvatureof a human torso. Surface 223 is used only as an example of part of ahuman torso's topology, which may in fact be quite irregular. However,the teachings herein may be used to construct a brace having a shell(FIG. 7) that conforms to whatever shape torso 201 assumes, howeverirregular.

In this example, brace 220 is shown installed on the posterior side of ahuman torso 221. Typically, a posterior back brace such as brace 220 isemployed for either corrective or immobilizing purposes, and may haveeither a “short” or “long” configuration. Of course, it will beappreciated that the teachings herein may be applied to the constructionof a brace having almost any purpose or configuration.

Brace 220 includes a posterior shell 223, adjustable straps 225 andelastic webbing 229. Elastic straps attach to shell 223 at attachmentpoints 231. Adjustable straps 225 and elastic webbings 229 hold shell223 in place against torso 221. Both straps 225 and webbings 229 mayfasten in the anterior, or front, (not shown) of torso 221.

The teachings herein are equally applicable to an anterior shell brace(not shown), whether used on its own or in conjunction with a posteriorbrace such as braces 180 and 220. One with skill in the medical artsshould recognize that there are many configurations suitable forsecuring a brace such as braces 180 and 220 to a torso or other bodypart. The particular brace configuration or body part application mayvary from one implementation to the next.

Webbings 229 are attached to shell 223 at attachment points 231 bysuitable fasteners, including, but not limited to, hook-and-loop typefasteners and repositionable adhesives. Straps 225 are likewise attachedat attachment points 227 by suitable fasteners, which may be of the sameor different type as the fasteners used to attach webbings 229 to shell223. In one particular embodiment, an actinic radiation source is usedto cure the polymeric material, and the fasteners that attach straps 225and webbings 229 to shell 223 comprise a material that is transparent tothe actinic radiation source. One skilled in the art will appreciatethat a variety of plastics may be used for this purpose, and that theparticular choice of plastic may depend on the actinic radiation sourcethat is to be used to cure the polymeric material.

Various curable polymeric materials may be used in the devices andmethodologies disclosed herein. These include, but are not limited to,radiation curable materials based on acrylates, epoxides, urethanes,urea-acrylates, urethane-acrylates, epoxy-acrylates, polyetheracrylates, polyester acrylates, urethane epoxides, silicone acrylates,acrylate-thiol-ene systems, ethylene copolymer elastomer compositions,acrylate rubber compositions, nitrile rubber compositions,fluoroelastomer compositions, chlorinated elastomer compositions, andsilicone polymers. When the curable polymeric materials comprisephotocurable polymers, they may be employed with appropriate catalysts,photoinitiators or crosslinking agents. Thus, for example, someepoxide-based systems may be cured through crosslinking reactions basedon photoinitiated acid formation (using, for example, photo-acidgenerators based on aromatic diazonium salts, aromatic iodonium saltsand triarylsulfonium salts), photoinitiated base formation (using, forexample, photo-base generators bearing acyloxyimino groups), orphotogenerated amines (using, for example, oxime-urethane derivatives).Photocurable polymeric materials may also be formed from variousmultifunctional monomers.

The curable polymeric materials employed in the devices andmethodologies described herein may be cured through a variety of means.Thus, for example, these materials may be cured through irradiation withactinic energy rays, such as UV radiation (both short and longwavelength UV radiation), IR radiation, electron rays, and X-rays.Suitable sources of actinic radiation may include mercury lamps of low,medium, high, or super-high pressure, metal halide lamps, xenon lamps,and carbon arc lamps. These materials may also be cured through exposureto various laser sources, including semiconductor lasers, argon lasersand He—Cd lasers, or through exposure to ionizing radiation, such asalpha-rays, beta-rays, gamma-rays, neutron beams, X-rays and acceleratedelectron rays. In some embodiments, one or more layers of materials thatreflect or adsorb the radiation emitted by the radiation source may bedisposed between the curable polymeric material and the patient toprotect the patient from any harmful effects associated with exposure tothe emitted radiation.

The curable polymeric materials employed in the devices andmethodologies described herein may have various components as are knownto the art. These include, in addition to the curable polymersthemselves, various crosslinking agents, activators, photoinitiators,fillers, plasticizers, pigments, dyes, solvents, cosolvents,stabilizers, surfactants, metallocene compounds (these may have variousaromatic electron system ligands), and the like.

The polymer may have chopped, woven or braided reinforcement material,such as fiberglass or carbon fiber, distributed within, on top of orbelow in a random or patterned orientation. The polymer may be can becured to form a solid sheet or a scaffold or lattice type of rigidsupport or a combination there of.

While various embodiments of the application have been described, itwill be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many moreembodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scopeof this invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restrictedexcept in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.

We claim:
 1. A formable cast, comprising: a padding; an outer shell; anda ridge disposed along the perimeter of the outer shell, wherein theridge, the outer shell and the padding define an interior space; and acurable polymeric material disposed in the interior space, wherein thepolymeric material is a liquid or gel in a first phase and, uponexposure to an appropriate energy source for curing the curablepolymeric material, cures to a hardened material in a second phase. 2.The cast of claim 1, wherein the appropriate energy source is actinicradiation.
 3. The cast of claim 1, wherein the appropriate energy sourceis UV radiation.
 4. The cast of claim 1, wherein the outer shell istransparent to the appropriate energy source for curing the curablepolymeric material.
 5. The cast of claim 1, further comprising one ormore radiation access ports for exposing the curable polymeric materialto the appropriate energy source for curing the curable polymericmaterial.
 6. The cast of claim 5, further comprising a reflective layeron the interior space side of at least one of the pad and outer shellfor reflecting radiation corresponding to the appropriate energy source.7. The cast of claim 1, wherein the padding is adapted to cushioning theskin of a patient from the outer shell.
 8. The cast of claim 1, whereinthe padding is adapted to insulate the skin from heat produced duringthe curing of the curable polymeric material.
 9. The cast of claim 1,further comprising a mesh positioned within the curable polymericmaterial.
 10. An energy-activated, formable cast, comprising: a padadapted to cushioning the cast against the skin of a patient; an outershell; ridges disposed along an edge of the outer shell, wherein theridges serve as a point of attachment to connect the pad and the outershell and create a gap between the pad and outer shell; and anenergy-sensitive polymeric material that fills the gap, wherein theenergy-sensitive polymer is formable when placed into the gap andhardens when exposed to the type of energy to which the polymer issensitive such that the cast is able to be configured to conform to aparticular body part of the patient when the polymer is formable and thecast provides support to the body part once the polymer has hardened.11. The energy-sensitive, formable cast of claim 10, wherein the type ofenergy to which the polymer is sensitive is ultraviolet (UV) light. 12.The energy-sensitive, formable cast of claim 10, wherein the type ofenergy to which the polymer is sensitive is an electric current.
 13. Theenergy-sensitive, formable cast of claim 10, further comprising one ormore radiation access ports for transmitting the energy to which thepolymer is sensitive to the energy-sensitive polymer.
 14. Theenergy-sensitive, formable cast of claim 10, further comprising a meshpositioned within the energy-sensitive polymeric material.
 15. Theenergy-sensitive, formable cast of claim 10, further comprising areflective layer on the gap side of at least one of the pad and outershell for reflecting the energy to which the polymer is sensitive. 16.The energy-sensitive, formable cast of claim 10, wherein the pad is madeof neoprene.
 17. The energy-sensitive, formable cast of claim 10,wherein the particular body part is the lower arm.
 18. Theenergy-sensitive, formable cast of claim 10, wherein the particular bodypart is the leg.
 19. An energy-sensitive, formable brace, comprising:one or more pads for cushioning the brace against the skin of a patient;one or more flexible outer shells, each shell corresponding to one andonly one of the one or more pads; ridges positioned along an edge eachouter shell, wherein the ridges serve as a point of attachment toconnect the corresponding pad and the particular outer shell and servesto create a gap between the corresponding pad and the particular outershell; an energy-sensitive polymer that fills the gap, wherein theenergy-sensitive polymer is formable when placed into the gap andhardens when exposed to the type of energy to which the polymer issensitive such that the brace is able to be configured to conform to aparticular body part of the patient when the polymer is formable and thebrace provides support to the body part once the polymer has hardened;and hardware for a attaching the brace to the body part.
 20. Theenergy-sensitive, formable brace of claim 19, further comprising one ormore radiation access ports for transmitting the energy to which thepolymer is sensitive to the energy-sensitive polymer.
 21. Theenergy-sensitive, formable brace of claim 19, further comprising areflective layer on the gap side of the one or more pads and one or moreouter shells for reflecting the energy to which the polymer is sensitive22. The energy-sensitive, formable brace of claim 19, wherein the typeof energy to which the polymer is sensitive is ultraviolet (UV) light.23. The energy-sensitive, formable brace of claim 19, wherein thehardware is non-opaque to UV light.
 24. The energy-sensitive, formablebrace of claim 19, wherein the type of energy to which the polymer issensitive is electricity.
 25. The energy-sensitive, formable brace ofclaim 19, wherein each pad of the plurality of pads is made of neoprene.26. The energy-sensitive, formable brace of claim 19, wherein the braceis a back brace.
 27. The energy-sensitive, formable brace of claim 19,wherein the brace is a knee brace.
 28. An energy-sensitive, formablecast, comprising: a curable polymeric material, wherein the polymericmaterial is a liquid or gel in a first phase and, upon exposure to anappropriate energy source for curing the curable polymeric material,cures to a hardened material in a second phase; and a casing forcontaining the curable polymeric material such that the curablepolymeric material can be shaped to conform to a particular body part inthe first phase and the cast provides support to the body part in thesecond phase.
 29. The energy-sensitive, formable cast of claim 28,further comprising:
 30. The energy-sensitive, formable cast of claim 28,further comprising:
 31. A method of applying a medical cast, comprisingthe steps of: sandwiching a energy-sensitive polymer between a pad andan outer cover; shaping the combined pad, cover and polymer around apatient's body part to form a cast; and affecting a change in thepolymer by exposing the polymer to a type of energy to which the polymeris sensitive, wherein the change is a transition from a gel-likematerial to a hardened material.
 32. The method of claim 31, wherein thetype of energy top which the polymer is sensitive is ultraviolet (UV)light.
 33. The method of claim 31, wherein the type of energy to whichthe polymer is an electrical current.